Lighter



July 4, 1944.

D. B. HICKMAN 2,352,897

LIGHTER I Filed Sept. 15, 1945 Patented .July 4, 1944 LIGHTER Darold B. Hickman, North Attleboro, Mass., assignor-to Evans Case Company, North Atticboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts application September 13, 1943, Serial No. 502,211

Claims.

The invention relates to lighters and especially so-called pocket-lighters of the class carried in the pocket or in a handbag or pocketbook or other portable receptacle. Such devices have means for starting a flame. Inasmuch as they are used in all sorts of places, frequently the air movements, drafts, or winds are such as to blow the flame undesirably or to extinguish it. Of course it is desirable that the flame be kept burning clearly long enough to ignite a cigarette,cigar, pipe, or the like.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide such lighters with a shield or device for protecting the flame from drafts, winds, and the like. Means may be employed which may be fastened in place or may be removable or separate from the lighter structure itself and the shield and the casing, of which the shield forms a part, may be made separately. and applied to lighters. Thus, the casing or shield may be made of the same or different material from that of the lighter and may be decorated or ornamented in any suitable manner. The lighters may be made in quantity and casings carrying shields may be made in quantity, and orders may be filled by selecting casings which will produce the desired external ornamental effect or appearance of the lighter.

In the accompanying drawing is shown one form the invention may take. Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lighter incorporatingthe present construction and arrangement of parts. Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectionon line 4-4 of Figure 3.

- movable or replaceable by a casing of different appearance or ornament. The casing, however, may be welded, riveted or otherwise held in place on the lighter.

The portion 20 of the casing l8 which extends downwardly below the front iii of the shield is spaced somewhat away from the front of the lighter iu, thus forming a chimney-like channel 2| which is closed at its bottom by the base member l9 of the'lighter l0. Although it is desirable to keep drafts and winds away from the flame l3, it is also desirable to supply to the flame I3 sufllcient air to support combustion of the flame. The member I9 may be reduced or omitted, allowing air to enter at the bottom of the channel 2|, in which event it may be possible to rely on air entering at the bottom of the channel 2| to support combustion of the flame l3. Slots or openings 22 may be provided in the front 20 of the casing l8. These slots or openings may be of any suitable size and any suitable number.

These slots are all below the top H of the A typical lighter Ill is shown having a relatively flat top wall ll-from which projects a wick l2 which may be ignited into a flame l3 by means of any suitable well known mechanism indicated generally at ll. The lighter itself and its parts and general operation form no part of the present invention which may be applied to any lighter. For this reason lighter details are not shown and are not limits to the invention. A shield for the flame is provided by means of a front member l5 extending above the top wall If and the wick l2 near the flame l3 and connected'to side members It, II. The members l5, l6 and II are preferably imperforate and form a satisfactory shield for protecting the flame I3 on the wick l2 from the influence of air movements in the neighborhood of the lighter. The'front member 15 and side members l6 and lighter In so that when the lighter operates in a wind the flame is protected by the shield members I5, It and II from direct draft. The wind entering the slots 22 impinges against the front of the lighter III and passes upwardly through the chimney-like channel 2|, quietly feeding sufficient air to the flame I3 to continuously and satisfactorily support combustion. The amount and force of the air reaching the flame may be controlled if desired by covering .one or more of the slots 22 by the fingers or in any other suitable way.

As an aid in further protecting the flame from the incoming air, it may be desirable in some instances, especially when the wick is arranged near the front edge of the lighter, to provide a battle 23 at or near the top of the lighter in which may cause air rising in the channel 2| to be deflected away from the flame l3 and cause it to impinge against the front l5 to reduce its momentum before it reaches the flame II.

The casing l8 may be made to come substan- This limits movement of the' 2. In a lighter having a wick projecting from its top wall, an. imperiorate shield extending above the top wall on three sides of the wick, a downwardly extending portion of the shield comprising sides engaging the lighter. and a third member joining the extending sides but out oi contact with the lighter and provided with periorations below the top of the lighter.

3. In a lighter having a projecting wick. a casing having sides en i the li ter and a perforate end out or contact with the lighter, the sides and end having extending imperiorate portions forming a shield for the wick. 4

4. A casing surrounding and engaging a lighter but out of contact with the lighter at one part of its cross section and provided with periorations at the out-ot-contact portion, the casing having an imperi'orate portion extending beyond the body of the lighter forming a shield (or the lighter flame.

5. In a lighter having a wick projecting from its top wall, an imperiorate shield extending abovethetopwallonthreesidesoithewick,a downwardly extending portion of the shield comprising sides engaging the lighter, a third member joining the extending sides but out or contact with the lighter, and a baiiie at about the top of go the lighter extending toward the third member.

DAROLD B. HICKMAN. 

